The Purpose and Practice of Exploratory and Confirmatory Factor Analysis in Psychological Research: Decisions for Scale Development and Validation
The Purpose and Practice of Exploratory and Confirmatory Factor Analysis in Psychological Research: Decisions for Scale Development and Validation
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DOI：
10.1037/cbs0000069
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发表时间：
2017-04-01
影响因子：
2.5
通讯作者：
Flake, Jessica K.
中科院分区：
文献类型：
--
作者：
Flora, David B.;Flake, Jessica K.
现有许多高质量的资源，描述了探索性因素分析(EFA)和验证性因素分析(CFA)的最佳做法。然而，部分由于这些程序的复杂性，心理学家对全民教育和CFA的实施仍然感到困惑。在这些误解中，主要是全民教育和CFA之间在数学上的区别。本文件使用一个简单的例子来说明全民教育和CFA所依据的统计模型之间的差异，这两个模型都是更一般的公共因素模型的具体实例。其次，本文讨论的实施全民教育和CFA的重要考虑因素包括：在因素分析中需要考虑项目水平观察变量的分类性质，在研究新测试或问卷和以前开发的测试的心理测量学特性时使用因素分析，在这些情况下决定是使用全民教育还是CFA，以及复制因素分析模型在进行验证方面的重要性。
There are many high-quality resources available which describe best practices in the implementation of both exploratory factor analysis (EFA) and confirmatory factor analysis (CFA). Yet, partly owing to the complexity of these procedures, confusion persists among psychologists with respect to the implementation of EFA and CFA. Primary among these misunderstandings is the very mathematical distinction between EFA and CFA. The current paper uses a brief example to illustrate the difference between the statistical models underlying EFA and CFA, both of which are particular instantiations of the more general common factor model. Next, important considerations for the implementation of EFA and CFA discussed in this paper include the need to account for the categorical nature of item-level observed variables in factor analyses, the use of factor analysis in studies of the psychometric properties of new tests or questionnaires and previously developed tests, decisions about whether to use EFA or CFA in these contexts, and the importance of replication of factor analytic models in the ongoing pursuit of validation.